But if harnesses aren't legal for the streets there has to be a reason for it.

This is not a safety issue for me, but more of a what can I get away with on the rare occasion that I might drive my primarily track car on the street.

 

first off you are as valuable as any member on this forum and I appreciate your input. and I think you have looked into this more than I. also sounds like we are on different pages.
not to mention this is a thread about car weight loss and we are getting off topic.

also as a board certified trauma surgeon I didnt mean to imply patients intestines are "routinely" ruptured during severe deceleration accidents, in fact it is quite rare. (however just had a patient rupture there jejuenum and transverse colon in exactly that way this past friday, so it does happen)

here is my last shot at this and maybe I am 100% wrong and am always willing to learn from others (regardless of post counts)
what snaps things in your body is the sudden deccel. the body parts that are strongly fixed stay there and the ones that can move do. so the HANS device (if you own one try it) MOVES when belted in. this dissipates the initial decel and takes it over more time. so your chest is fixed and your head and neck are not. the HANS moves at impact and limits the range the head can travel, both to help you not break your neck.

same with the seat belt it gives more before complete lock up to act in much the same way, harnesses do not.

if this explaination sucks or is wrong then I will stand corrected, I am out of my field of expertise here was just trying to share some info and keep these guys safe, that was my bottom line. I speak for us all when I say I appreciate your input and research you have done, thanks

tom

 

speaking as a pure enthusiast, i tend to agree with you ..and every other doctor, engineer, etc out there... it is the deceleration that kills/mames/dislocates...etc...

using harness's while doing 200km+ on the street and hitting a pole, will more than likely kill you...but so will a standard seatbelt.

being strapped in and getting into an AVERAGE impact, at say 50mph... i strongly believe that you will be much safer...add to that airbags...and modern side impact beams etc... at the safety just goes up. a comon injury from street belts that go over one shoulder...are usually neck/shoulder and abdominal injuries.... which is where the load is. and too add...retractable street seat belts actually have blast charges that PULL the seatbelts in tighter...which add stress risers to the body...

i feel safer with a 6 point knowing that these forces are distributed over a wider area.

 

Tom, Thanks for the camaraderie

I felt a little guilty for maybe getting too far off topic too. But after I thought more about it, it is very much on-topic. Racing seats and accompanying harnesses are one of the primary methods of losing weight. In my Acura TL, the racing seats were the single biggest weight saver (84 lbs net loss). Thus, we need to be sure that the safety aspects are properly discussed so that other readers will not be scared away from pursuing this essential weight-saving modification.

Cheers

 

roger that and thanks for all the help and info, keep your posts coming they are very welcome

 

Anyone weighed an aftermarket steering wheel vs stock with airbag yet? Or do we have a weight for the drivers airbag/wheel and I missed it?

Tom any update on the roof yet?

 

soon

 

ok my roof is off...will add it all up total of inside and outside and sunroof I think will be about 60 pounds.
CF roof arrived today (will post pic soon) it weights EIGHT POUNDS!!
it fits perfectly and I will post how to do it on my interior race car conversion thread as it is OT here.

 

Incredible Tom! Could you tell me what the brand of roof is and if you have any links to read more about it? Sorry if I missed that information earlier too.

 

Getty Design

http://www.gettydesign.com/catalog.html

Click on the online catalogue. Page 59 under cup car parts.

 

Thank you heavychevy...what a dream it would be to lose that much weight that high up on the car. I will add that one to my wish list, and only wish that Getty also listed weights of each unpainted item for us weight weenies.

 

I agree, I'm constantly harping on weight.

I spoke to Tom on the phone and he told me that they weighed a 997 roof panel, pretty much the same as ours and just the sunroofless panel in itself that a guy ordered for his car weighed ~ 40 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So MAKE SURE you demand to know the exact weights before you buy anything if weight loss is your goal.

 

Holy jeebus...40 pounds just for the sunroofless panel? Well, that is the ultimate motivator since I've been sitting here thinking I'd be lucky to lose about 40 pounds total to convert from my sunroof equipped car to a GT2 style roof...but the thought of going to a painted Getty Design carbon Cup Car roof would just be over the top with regard to weight loss if that 40 pound figure is true.

 

all accurate and total weights will be posted soon
let me get it all together for you guys

 

Can't wait to see the roof writeup soon. Would this at all be a diy project?